Sudanese security agents question farmers about their crops

Officers of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) have ordered farmers in El Maaleig in northern El Gezira to remove their sesame crop.

Last week, NISS agents, accompanied by inspectors of the El Meheirba Canal, questioned farmers in the northern part of the El Gezira Agricultural Scheme about their choice to plant sesame in addition to their cotton crops this agricultural season

”This season, many farmers resorted to growing sesame and watermelon because of the low expenses,” Mohamed El Jak, member of the El Gezira and El Managil Farmers Union explained to Radio Dabanga.

“The authorities are demanding them to remove the crop on the grounds that sesame attracts pests that also threaten the cotton plants. Yet, the removal of the plants will cause large losses to the farmers.”

He added that “the law gives the farmers the freedom to choose any crop that suits them”.

He further called on “all the people of El Gezira at home and abroad to stand with the farmers and form a broad front to return the Scheme from the claws of the authorities”.

Last week, the farmers were told that they will be fined if they do not remove the sesame crop.

Pesticides, fertilisers

The farmers of the El Gezira and El Managil Agricultural Scheme, south of Khartoum, are having other problems with the authorities as well.

Apart from delays in the delivery of fertilisers and herbicides, the farmers have to deal with the low wheat prices set by the Ministry of Agriculture.

In addition, the austerity measures of last year that led to a sharp increase of fuel prices are threatening the agricultural season as well. A number of farmers had to stop using irrigation pumps and harvesting devices because of soaring fuel prices.

Early September 2015, the Agriculture Ministry amended the El Gezira Scheme Act, with amendments aimed at transferring land ownership to the private sector and foreign investors, after President Omar Al Bashir described the Scheme as a burden on the country’s budget.